★★★★★
This book had been on my to-read list for a long time, but because the story seemed a bit different from my usual reading choices, I had been postponing reading it. It really doesn't even make much sense, because what got me into reading as a kid were mystery books, and this one definitely has some mystery in it.
I think what put me off this book for so long were my preconceived ideas about it. When I read the sinopsis of "If I Were You", I kind of understood (wrongly) that the book was very centered on the journals that Sara reads. But after reading a few chapters, it is clear that that's not the case, which was a relief, I guess because if it was kind of a recounting of another person's story, there wouldn't really be much development, at least not from the main character. So it would basically be us reading about Sara (the main character) reading Rebecca's (that's who wrote them) journals.
But enough with the rambling!
I finally read the book and very much enjoyed it!
"If I Were You" has Sara reading what she thinks is her best friend Ella's journal, but it turns out it's one of many journals from a woman named Rebecca. The journals document her affair with a man who is into BDSM, who is very possessive, and most likely not very healthy for her.
Sara's Friend got the journals in a storage unit auction, and after telling Sara how she got to have them, Sara is determined to find out what happened to Rebecca, which is difficult, because no other names are ever mentioned in the journals or on any of the items in the unit. Her address is no longer hers, and any other form of contact is also a dead end.
Searching the storage unit herself (while Ella elopes to Europe), she finds that Rebecca works in an art gallery, though after asking, she finds that Rebecca had been gone for a couple of months on leave.
Well, I don't wanna be boring and 'spoilery', so I'll stop retelling the story, and go into my thoughts on it.
I loved "If I Were You", the mystery about Rebecca and all aspects and people who know her was very enticing and pulling, and it's always on the back of your mind while you read the book, though Sara sometimes forgets about it (for sexy reasons).
The cliffhanger at the end is actually resolved pretty quickly in the second book, which I started already, because I couldn't wait!
